Harry Potter and the Tapestry of Black
by blueangel994
Summary: It's Harry's seventh year, except he's not going back to school. Instead he's hunting down Lord Voldemort and the rest of the horcruxes...
1. Chapter 1: Marks, Memories and Member

**Author's Note:** My good peoples, there may be some punctuational mistakes because I had it in a different format for the HP website blog boards so if there are...that's why it's there. Otherwise, I will have the next chapter up in a week and please give me reviews! I would appreciate it much!

**Chapter 1: Marks, Memories, and Member**

Harry, Dudley and Ron, to the Dursleys displeasure, were all crammed into the backseat of the car; Dudley being big enough to take over the whole of the three seats.

Harry was seething due to the stress of the last few days and to the fact that Vernon Dursley would not let him leave the house as soon as he wished.

_Well, at least they let Ron stay,_ Harry miserably thought.

Ron was sitting very tense in his seat, his hands tightly clenched around his wand and his eyes unblinkingly staring upon his shoes. Ron was just as cramped as Dudley, though for a different reason. He had grown even more over the school year than he had over the summer and was now over six feet tall.

Dudley was cowering as close to the door as his over-large belly would allow him and covering as much of his obese bottom as he could.

Aunt Petunia chose not to acknowledge either Ron or Harry and was looking out of her rolled-down window.

Uncle Vernon, however, seemed even more tense than Ron and was holding the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white. Harry had also seen him steal what Vernon must've thought discreet glances at the rear view mirror until he saw Harry looking back at him.

"So…so this Bumdle-fool's gone now, is he?" Vernon asked for the millionth time since he and Ron had picked up from King's Cross.

Harry felt Ron grow even more tense beside him and mutter, "He's not a fool," causing Vernon to glare at him in the rear-view-mirror through slits for eyelids.

Harry had his wand in his lap and was gripping it so firmly that his fingers began to sore but he didn't dare let go of it just in case…

"Harry," Ron said in a frightfully high-pitched voice as he pointed through the windshield.

Harry leaned over to look and…

He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up through he had seen this many times before, but the fact was that it was so close to his house…

"Harry?" Ron asked this time, turning a pale and frightened face toward him.

Now that they had turned onto Magnolia he could see it properly and so, apparently, could Vernon and Petunia.

"What in the bloody hell?" Vernon began, pressing hard on the breaks as Petunia gave a terrible shriek.

"It's over Mrs. Figg's house," Harry said, gazing at the Dark Mark. It looked very different during the day rather than the night…

Suddenly, as if Harry had realized, for the first time what his uncle had done he bellowed, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! GET GOING!"

Vernon jumped and obeyed, but looked irritated the moment the car had started moving again.

"Mrs. Figg?" Ron quietly asked, "Wasn't she the one…" he began.

"That witnessed at my hearing last year, yeah," Harry finished for him, a scowl taking over his face, "But she was only a Squibb, I'm not sure what kind of importance would get Death Eaters to kill her," he wondered out loud as they stopped in number four, Private Drive's driveway.

"Let me get this straight," Vernon said, pulling his keys out of the ignition; however no one had gotten out, "Mrs. Figg, the cat lover we always sent you to for tea is a…is a…" he couldn't bring himself say "witch"; it was something of a swear word to him.

"A witch? (The Dursleys shuddered to Ron's amusement) No, but she was a Squibb, which is someone who iis/i magical, but can't do complicated magic," he quickly explained, wanting to go investigate her house.

"What is that skull thing above her house?" he demanded

"The Dark Mark. Death Eaters, who are followers of Voldemort (Ron shuddered this time), put it above the place in which they have murdered someone signifying that they have been there and that they have murdered," he reiterated, "It usually means that you should stay away," he sarcastically added, pushing the door open.

"Are those Eat-Deathers there?" Vernon asked, fear filling his voice for the first time Harry had ever heard.

Harry turned to the green, glittering Dark Mark, "I don't know," he said, his eyes narrowing, "But I'm going to find out," he said, carefully heading down the drive way, not caring that his wand was in plain view.

"Put it away!" his uncle hissed as Ron caught up with him.

"Don't you think this is a little…reckless?" he quietly asked, his wand out also, "I mean, dyou reckon Dumbledore would've wanted…"

Harry angrily turned on him no longer caring that they were only half a street away from their destination, "I'm idoing/i this for Dumbledore, Ron!" he hissed, his wand pointing into Ron's face, "You can either go back up to the house or stay with me."

Harry turned back around and continued his journey as he heard Ron mutter, "I'd rather deal with a thousand Death Eaters than them…"

The strangest thing Harry had noticed was that life around Mrs. Figg's house seemed to go on like normal. He had at least expected a few aurors to be at her house also and possibly (Harry's heart jolted at the thought and his eyes began to burn), Dumbledore would have been at the site within minutes of the Dark Mark appearing. Of course, the only reason being that it was so close to the Dursleys.

Harry, without even realizing it, was standing at the front door with his hand on the door-knob.

"Harry," Ron said again, making Harry shiver despite the one hundred five degree heat. Fear was in every nook-and-cranny of his voice. It reminded Harry of how Dumbledore had pleaded with Snape just before he had…

_No,_ Harry thought, blinking back tears as a few slid down his face. There was no way, Harry knew, that he'd be able to forget that haunting moment, but he had to at least try for now…

A surge of adrenaline pumping through him, Harry opened the door and walked through.

It was dark and dusty. Mrs. Figg's possessions were thrown everywhere and broken.

He hadn't been watching where he was going and stepped on something soft only to look down and find one of many of Mrs. Figg's cats.

"Of course," Harry muttered as he heard Ron scrambling up the porch steps.

"They killed _cats_ too?" Ron loudly asked.

"Keep your voice down!" Harry whispered as Ron stood next to him, "They couldn't risk any of the cats being animagi, could they? So they just…just killed them all," he quietly explained.

"Oh," he said as comprehension dawned on his face.

Harry cautiously walked though the living room, where shimmering fragments of broken glass objects lay scattered though out the carpet, to the kitchen where a bowl of fruit was broken on the tile floor.

_Magic always leaves a mark,_ Dumbledore's words rang through his head as his eyes fell upon the wooden table where spells had burnt and scoured it. There was one particularly large hole almost exactly in the center where Harry was sure a Death Eater (given Mrs. Figg was a Squibb) had aimed an unforgivable curse; presumably "Avada Kadavra." He assumed Mrs. Figg had possibly put the fire out with her own wand.

"There are lots of signs of lots of struggle," Ron whispered, peering around the room, "Blood hell, Harry, take a look at this," he said, disappearing behind the table.

When he came into view Harry saw a tall figure in a dark cloak, wearing a mask but was spread-eagle on the ground, his eyes, as far as Harry could tell, wide open.

"Avada Kadavra," Harry muttered.

"But…but I thought…" Ron stuttered.

"She _was _a Squibb, Ron," Harry said, his scowl becoming more pronounced, "Some of the Order must've…must've…" he let his sentence trail as he looked through the cracked and broken patio door.

There she was; Mrs. Figg lying spread-eagle just like the Death Eater.

"Dyou reckon they caught her by surprise?" Ron asked, no longer whispering, "I mean, since she's got her hand bag with her and everything," he hastily added.

Harry shook his head, "No, I don't think so. She was probably swinging at Death Eaters with it or protecting herself."

"Don't you thin it's a bit odd…I mean…" Ron began.

"That none of the Order's here? Yeah. They should've been here ages ago," he thought a moment, staring at Mrs. Figg's body, "Either that or…"

They both were silent, not wanted to say out loud what they both knew they were thinking.

_Or all those who were called to attention are lying dead in the other room,_ he finished his own sentence in his head and by the expression on Ron's face he was thinking the same thing.

"You don't really think…?" Ron quietly asked.

"I suppose there's only one way to…" Harry began, but he cut off his sentence as his gaze lingered on something that seemed to have escaped the fight.

There, sitting in a corner, was a small bottle filled with odd-looking liquid Harry immediately recognized as a memory. The bottle was sealed with a cork and was accompanied by a blank piece of parchment.

"Harry, what is it?" Ron asked, his eyes also falling upon the bottle of memory.

"It's a memory," Harry answered, stepping over the Death Eater's body and picking the bottle up.

What Harry had presumed to be just a piece of parchment was exactly that; but folded in half with writing on the inside.

"Harry,

I have just gotten an owl from Albus Dumbledore telling me to extract a certain memory and give it to you. He said do** NOT**under any circumstance let You-Know-Who to get a hold of it. I hope this note has explained everything I could not, hence I was in the Dursleys house. Stay safe!

Abriella Figg

P.S. Albus said you could request his pensieve by owl if you wished.

AF"

Harry looked up at Ron after he'd finished reading it.

"Well, I reckon you'd better see what it is," he said as Harry's vision strayed to another dead cat.

Ron followed his gaze and jumped back in surprise only to yell in surprise again as he stepped on the Death Eater's hand, breaking all the bones.

"That…that cat, did they…knife?" Ron stuttered, looking very pale.

Harry looked from the cat to Ron, "Snape's been here," he said, silently thanking the deceased Dumbledore for never letting Snape know where he lived.

Harry's eyes began to burn as white-hot anger flared inside of him.

"How dyou know?" Ron asked.

"Because 'Sectumsempra' was used on that cat," he said.

Ron looked at him in horror, "_That's_ what you did to Malfoy?" he incredulously asked.

Harry nodded, ashamed of himself, "Yeah. That's the spell that the Prin…well, Snape came up with. I wonder who he used it on…" he tersely said, his mind straying to his mum and dad.

Ron's expression hardened as he looked back at the bloodied cat, "Well, he deser…"

Harry quietly interrupted him, "No. Not really. You weren't there, Ron, when he made to kill Dumbledore," he said, his voice wavering, "He was scared to death and he didn't know what to do."

"I would've killed him…" Ron muttered, opening the door to the next room, his wand at the ready.

"Is there anyone in there, Ron?" Harry whispered.

It took a moment for him to answer, "Yeah, but I can't tell who…"

Harry's grip tightened on his wand and the memory, "Dead?" he fearfully asked, thinking of Tonks and Mad-eye.

"Yeah, it looks like Avada Kadavra," he said as a light turned on, "Blimey!" he loudly said.

"What?" Harry asked, slowly walking toward him, "Who is it? Ron?"

Ron turned back to him, paler than ever while the expressions of sorrow and pain were mingled on his face and in a hoarse, wavered voice he answered, "Lupin."


	2. Chapter 2: Visitation

Chapter 2: Visitation 

Harry's stomach clenched and his heart dropped as he began to feel dizzy.

"_Lupin_?" he asked, grabbing his scar as it gave a painful stab. He walked over to Ron and saw Lupin, spread-eagle with his eyes and mouth wide open.

Harry, dropping his wand and the memory, fell to his knees beside him.

"Remus," Harry whispered, feeling tears course down his face. He didn't try to stop them now.

"Harry," Ron said as Harry looked at him. Ron, too, was crying, "Harry why does everyone we know die?" he asked.

Harry shook his head, "I don't know. I don't know anymore. This is why I broke up with Ginny and this is why I don't want anybody coming with me to find the horcruxes or to fight Voldemort. _I…don't…want…you and or Hermione…with me,"_ he said, suddenly sounding threatening.

Ron was wide-eyed and backing away from Harry.

"Go back to the house and write Dum…" his stomach plummeted, "I…I mean McGonagall. It's possible that Lupin was the only one notified…"

"The only one notified?" Ron exclaimed, "If he had known about it, he would have told other members."

Harry thought a moment, "Yeah, but wouldn't they have cleared this all up by now and have gone to the Dursleys?"

It was Ron's turn to think, "Yeah, but…"

"Then none of the Order was with him," Harry concluded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

Ron was silent.

"Go and write McGonagall that letter," he said, feeling for a pulse from Lupin, just incase.

"Right, okay. Hedwig or Pig?" he asked.

"Pig, he's faster. Hedwig won't be too happy, but you can give her extra treats or something."

"Yeah, alright," he said, turning away, "You'll be alright, Harry?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine; hurry," he said, realizing there was no pulse.

_What point is there to living?_ he asked himself.

His parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, Cedric and now Lupin were all dead and it was his, Harry's, fault.

Harry stood up. He'd have to leave that night and leave a note to Ron telling him that he and Hermione had to return to school. He couldn't risk loving anyone else for fear of Voldemort killing them. His friendship with everyone had to be severed.

He walked out of the room, through the kitchen (Picking his wand up), through the living room and out of Mrs. Figg's house.

Once back in the Dursleys drive way he wrenched open the trunk of their car and grabbed his school trunk. He wasn't going to leave tonight.

He was going to leave _now_.

Without any consideration of his apparition license, he tightly gripped his trunk and wand and concentrated hard on the Three Broomsticks, felt the strong urge to go there and suddenly felt as if he were being shoved down a tube with the circumference of one centimeter. Just as suddenly the feeling was gone and he was standing at the door of the Three Broom Sticks. Remembering that Madam Rosemerta was under the Imperius Curse, he hurried around the corner until he heard her go back inside.

He hurried down the deserted road until he came to the Hogwarts Gates, which were padlocked shut, or so it appeared.

Harry's heart dropped; he had forgotten about these locks therefore he had not anticipated them.

He dropped his trunk and determinedly raised his wand and muttered, "Aloh Hammorah," but nothing happened.

He wondered why he had expected it to work when, just under a year ago, he had witnessed Tonks try that same spell on the same lock when it failed.

Luckily, just as he had paced by the gate for a third time the castle doors burst open and a green-clad someone with a pointed hat came running toward him.

Harry raised his wand, ready to strike incase it was someone unpleasant.

"Potter? Potter!" yelled the familiar voice of Professor McGonagall.

"Oh, hello professor, I wasn't sure if anybody was still here," he said as she flicked her want. The gates opened obediently.

"_What are you doing here!_ You are supposed to be at your aunt and uncle's, young man!" she scolded, quickly closing the gates behind him.

"Yes, well, I feel I've rather overstayed my welcome," he explained, "I came here first because I thought you'd be here," he said as they walked back up to the castle.

"You're quite right," she said, "I wouldn't have been here otherwise if…if…"

"If Dumbledore were still headmaster," Harry quietly finished for her.

"Oh, I don't know what to do!" she cried, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Harry was taken aback but nevertheless comforted her until they had gotten to Dumbledore's former office.

He'd thought for sure she would have it fixed her own way now, but everything was as it had been two days ago.

As if reading his mind she said, "Haven't…not much time, you know, with the Order and all."

Harry nodded, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "Where were we?"

"I…I need two things," he stuttered, startled by the sudden change of mood, "I need to know whether…whether the attack on Abriella Figg's house was known by the Order?" he asked.

"Abriella's house? Attacked?" she asked, looking quite surprised, "I've heard of no such thing! Was it Death Eaters?"

Harry nodded.

"And she's…?"

Harry again nodded.

McGonagall collapsed in her chair looking stricken, "And to think…it was so near your own home…"

"My uncle was driving Ron and I…home…when we saw the Dark Mark."

"Was anyone else in her house?"

"Yes, a Death Eater…" he began, then added with haste seeing the expression on her face, "But he was dead; Avada Kadavra."

"Abriella is…was a Squibb!" she exclaimed.

Harry was silent.

"Was anyone else there, Potter?" she asked.

Harry nodded, his eyes burning as if they'd been doused in hot sauce.

"Who?"

"P…professor Lupin," he said, wondering whether he could still call him, "Professor."

Relief washed over her ever feature, "And I assume he told you to come and get me while he went and alerted the other…members…?" her sentence died off as she caught his escaped tear.

Fear and alarm was etched in every inch of her face, "Oh surely not…not…Harry?" she weakly asked, looking as if she were going to collapse in tears.

He looked away from her, blinking back his own, "Avada Kadavra," he whispered.

Sure enough McGonagall threw her sobbing head upon the desk and cried, "How many more? How many more are you going to take before we give in, Tom!" she bellowed, lifting her read, tearstained face from her desk, then collapsing once more.

Harry awkwardly sat there, his own tears shamelessly staining his face until he heard a familiar voice that made his heart leap so high he thought he'd have a heart attack.

"Am I to understand, Minerva, that Remus has passed on as well?"

Harry frantically looked around for the comforting voice he had so longingly wanted to hear for the past few hours.

"Up here, Harry," it said.

Harry looked up only to find a portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

He smiled at Harry who had begun to cry again.

"Yes yes, gone, _all_ gone!" she exclaimed, "Now why doesn't he finish off the rest of us?"

Harry was frightened; he'd never heard McGonagall lose control like this before.

"Now now, Minerva, that is no attitude to have especially given the times," he said, peering at her over his half-moon spectacles.

"Oh you're right, you're right, what have I been thinking, Albus? What have I been _doing_?"

"You've been doing exactly what I told you not to be doing. Minerva, I plead with you, don't mourn over me. Not now when the Order is needing you!"

"You're right as usual," she said, sniffling.

"I am not always correct, my dear headmistress."

At these words McGonagall broke down again.

"Sir," Harry said, suddenly thinking of a question he'd been itching to ask.

"Yes, Harry?" asked Dumbledore (for Harry couldn't think of his portrait any other way), his attention focusing on Harry.

"Why did you trust Snape?"

The professor hesitated before answering, "He did, at the time I hired him, seem to be sincerely sorry for what he'd done. Of course, I hadn't seen it then, but he was just among the other Death Eaters who had claimed to be under Voldemort's Imperius Curse," he shook his head, "I should've known…"

Harry looked away, tears burning in his eyes yet again.

"When I find him, I'm going to kill him," Harry angrily told no one in particular.

"In my school days I wouldn't have taken an attitude like that, Minerva," Dippet's portrait said.

"Armando, that's quite enough," Dumbledore's portrait told Dippet's. Dippet quieted at once even though Dumbledore was now only preserved in a portrait.

"Harry," he continued, "I know that I have passed away, but I wish that you go back to your aunt and uncle's house. Even if it's one more day. Promise me, Harry," he said.

"I promise," Harry mumbled, looking to the floor. He had absolutely no intention of going back.

"Harry, look into my eyes."

Harry reluctantly looked into the portrait's eyes and found that his vision had blurred. It wasn't the same as looking into the _real_ Dumbledore's eyes. Not at all the same.

"I promise," he said, then looked away. For one fleeting moment he thought about breaking his promise. He had, after all, only promised a portrait; not the real Dumbledore.

_But if I did break the promise, I'd feel just as if I had broken a promise to him three years ago or even just…just three days ago,_ he reminded himself. He would have to go back to the Dursleys.

"Potter," said McGonagall, very business-like again with no trace of tear on her face, "I will escort you through the Hogwarts grounds and _I_ will apparate us to your home," she said, walking to the staircase. He followed her.

"But, how dyou know…?"

"I've been to your aunt and uncle's house once before, I know exactly where to go."

Once down the stairs, Harry picked up his trunk where he'd left it just beside a stone gargoyle, then stopped, remembering something.

"Professor, may I borrow professor Dumbledore's pensieve?" he asked, trying his hardest to keep his voice from wavering.

McGonagall nodded saying, "Nosebleed Nougat," and he dashed up the stairs to his office.

"Ah, Harry, you've forgotten something?" Dumbledore's portrait asked.

"Yes sir," he muttered, walking over to his cabinet and grabbing his pensieve along with several of the memories Dumbledore had shown him during their private lessons together.

_Don't,_ he told himself, _just don't think about him._

Harry turned to leave as he heard Dumbledore's voice yet again, "Harry, did you receive the memory from Abriella?" he asked.

Harry turned to him as the memory of it falling and crashing ran before his eyes, "Yes sir, but I dropped it."

Dumbledore smiled, "No worries, Harry. All you have to do is fix the bottle and the memory should put its self back in."

Harry smiled for the first time in several weeks, "Thank you, sir," he said, then headed down the revolving stair case to McGonagall.

She was standing just outside the Hogwarts gate. As soon as he had passed through, she closed the gates and he tightly grabbed her arm.

Second later they were back at number four, private drive with a loud **_CRACK!_**

McGonagall grabbed both of his shoulders, "Harry you _must_ stay here until further notice. _Don't_ run off; that is very important…" she said as a streak of red banged the front door open and ran up to them, "Harry, Pig's not moving! He's just sitting there! I tried throwing him out the window but he just comes back in. I don't know what to do, Harry, I'm really really sorry…"

"Mr. Weasley!" McGonagall sternly said for the third time.

He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time ever, "Professor," he said, I tried to send an owl to you but…"

"How long ago, Mr. Weasley?" she interrupted.

He thought a moment, "Just a minute ago," he answered.

She nodded, "Your owl wouldn't leave because I was apparating from Hogwarts with Mr. Potter," she said, walking up to the house.

Ron stared, open mouthed, at Harry, "You went to Hogwarts while I was in your house?" he asked as they followed McGonagall.

Harry simply nodded as he walked through the front door.

"But…but how'd you get there and back so quick?" he asked, unfazed as he walked into Dudley who squealed and tried to run back up the stairs as quickly as he could, which wasn't quick at all.

"I apparated," he simply answered.

Ron looked at him in awe, "With_out_ your license?" he asked.

Harry nodded.

"That's bloody brilliant, Harry! And to think you're not even in trouble with the ministry yet!"

Harry frowned as he watched McGonagall talking to his aunt and uncle, "I think they have more important things to worry about, Ron, than who's apparating illegally."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," he answered, also looking at McGonagall.

"He is, under no circumstances, aloud to leave the premises of this house until further notice. I don't care if you have to bolt the door closed and board up windows…_keep him in this house_."

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated hard on the space just in front of McGonagall.

_CRACK!_

There were three loud screams and Harry saw McGonagall's hat topple off her head as Ron muttered, "Brilliant!"

"Mr. Potter, what do you think you are doing?" she asked straightening her hat.

"They can't stop me from doing that," he calmly explained to her.

"No, but I assure you, this spell can!" she said, flicking her wand.

Harry knew better than to apparate under this spell, so he walked back to Ron.

"So…so we have to stay _in the house_ until she sends an owl?" he asked, looking rather pale.

Harry nodded, "Yeah."

McGonagall stepped by him and to the front door, "Remember Mr. Potter, and you too, Mr. Weasley," she said, looking at them in turn, "That I and the Order are tying to keep you safe. You heard the rules; please obey them for once."

"Yes maam," both Harry and Ron said.

"Oh, and Potter," she said, stepping through the door, "Thank you."

Harry gave Ron a questioning glance but he only shrugged, "Excuse me, professor, but for what?" he asked as she turned back to him.

"For your visitation," she said, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

With that she walked down the garden path and across the street.


	3. Chapter 3: Revival

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is so short and sorry that ti's a cliffy but hopefully I'll have the next chapter up by Friday. Please enjoy and write many reviews! I need critiques! Thank you very much. Chapter 3: Revival 

Harry and Ron watched McGonagall until she disappeared into Mrs. Figg's house.

Ron looked at Harry whose mind was back on Lupin and said, "Harry, we should send Hermione an owl so she knows what's going on."

Harry nodded and headed up the stairs, sourly saying, "Fine," and leaving Ron behind him.

He went up to his room, grabbing the nearest piece of paper and pen and writing to Hermione.

"Hi Hermione, this is Harry. Ron and I are staying at my place until McGonagall sends an owl. We found Lupin dead in Mrs. Figg's house, just so you know. Anyway, Ron wanted to make sure you're alright, so send Hedwig back to him.

Harry"

He hoped it didn't sound very friendly. In fact, he hoped he sounded so rude that Hermione would cease talking to him and convince Ron to do the same.

He tied it to Hedwig's leg and she set off.

It seemed as if hours had passed as he stared out the window before Ron came up to his room.

"Harry?" he asked.

Harry didn't answer him.

"Harry are you alright?"

Harry stood up and faced him, "Does it look like I'm alright?" he angrily asked, "I've lost Dumbledore and the last of my dad's loyal friends only with in a few days and to boot I'm stuck in this bloody house for days on end!" he yelled.

Ron looked shocked.

Harry pushed passed him and noisily headed down the stairs only to find McGonagall and a man, their backs to Harry, talking to his flustered Uncle.

At the sound of his footsteps McGonagall and the man turned around.

Harry's steps and breath stopped dead and his jaw hung open.


	4. Chapter 4 Part One: The Hollow of Godric

Author's Note: Ok, here's the next first part of the fourth chapter. Please review! It would be greatly appreciated! 

**Chapter 4: The Hollow of Godric**

All Harry could do was stare. It seemed as if everything were frozen in time.

His aunt and uncle furious, McGonagall wide-eyed but quite relieved; and there, smiling at him, was Lupin.

Just as if somebody had pushed 'play' on a muggle movie remote, Lupin started toward him and embraced him.

Harry couldn't move he was so shocked.

"But…" he began, not sure of what to say, "how…? When did you…"

"Ah, Harry," Lupin said, interrupting him, "You didn't check my eyes," he said, looking at him.

"Eyes?" Harry weakly asked.

"You see, I was merely in a body bind. I believe you are quite familiar with the spell, 'Petrificus Totallus,' and even though the rest of me, including my veins, was binded, my eyes could still move."

Harry clearly remembered when Dumbledore had binded him. He hadn't given the fact that he could look from Malfoy to Dumbledore a second thought.

"I…I didn't realize…but you looked…" he stuttered.

Lupin merely grinned, "The position I was in was simply a coincidence, Harry," he said.

"Bloody hell," Ron said, awestruck.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley," McGonagall said, catching Harry, Ron, and Lupin's attention, "Your time here is spent. Go and pack; we are leaving immediately," she finished.

Harry and Ron bolted up the stairs, talking feverishly, while Harry, in the back of his mind, wondered why they were leaving so soon

Harry quickly opened his trunk and carefully laid the memories and pensieve inside of it.

Ron, on the other hand, already had his possessions strewn everywhere.

"Harry, I can't believe we didn't see his eyes!" Ron exclaimed, giddy with happiness.

Harry was shaking and felt light-headed because he was so happy.

"I know," Harry said, grinning broadly and snapping his trunk shut, "And it was simple enough to figure out. I'm sure Hermione would've…" he started as Lupin came into his room.

Harry's smile broadened even more.

"Are you two all set, then?" he merrily asked.

"Yeah," Harry answered as Ron said, "No," a scowl washing over his face as his eyes searched the room, "Harry, have you seen my wand?" he asked.

Harry looked at Lupin who was smiling at Ron, "No, did you leave it at the other house?" he asked, looking back at Ron.

Lupin brought out Ron's wand from behind his back, "I found it after Minerva had found me," he said, handing it over, "And Harry I do believe this is yours," he said, handing Harry Mrs. Figg's fixed memory.

"Thanks," Harry said, smiling.

Lupin smiled back, "There's the Harry I know. Now come on, both of you," he said, then muttered, "Locomotor trunks," and both trunks floated down the stairs causing Dudley, who had unsuccessfully been trying to spy on them, go squealing into his room again.

Lupin looked at Harry, "I didn't know your aunt and uncle kept pigs," he innocently said.

Harry and Ron burst out laughing for the first time in over a year.

"That was Harry's cousin, that was," Ron said in between fits of laughter.

Lupin turned several dark shades of red, "Oh," he said, starting down the stairs.

Ron and Harry were laughing so hard that tears were streaming down their faces.

When they had gotten down the stairs, Ron and Harry's laughter subsiding, McGonagall was waiting for them by the door.

"We are leaving for the Head Quarters. There the Weasleys and the Grangers will meet you…"

Harry interrupted her, earning a stern look, "Wait, not just Hermione's going to be there?" he asked.

McGonagall shook her head, "No, we believe she and her family are in great danger therefore they will be staying at the Order's head quarters. From there," she continued, looking at Harry, "You, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Remus, Tonks and Mad-eye will go to Godric's Hollow and await any further instruction from the Order. Under stood?" she asked, looking from one to the other.

They both nodded.

"Good. Now we'll apparate, I need you both…_both of you_…" she repeated, seeing Ron's expression, "to grab an arm. I will not allow either one of you to apparate alone."

The tips of Ron's ears were red.

Harry grabbed Lupin's arm and Ron McGonagall's.

In the blink of an eye the four of them were standing outside of Number twelve Grimauld Place, except there was no number twelve; just a number eleven and right next to that a number thirteen.

Harry already knew to concentrate hard on the address, "Number Twelve Grimauld Place, London" and sure enough, as if a giant standing up and stretching after a long, deep sleep, the dark-looking house appeared between number eleven and number thirteen, pushing them aside.

The four of them walked up to the door and McGonagall opened it revealing a very clean, livable, and unrecognizable House of Black.

"Holy cricket!" Ron muttered.

The first thing Harry had noticed was the windows. He knew they were the same ones as were at the ministry because sunlight was streaming through them whereas when they had apparated it was dark and cloudy.

The second thing he had noticed was that these windows had taken the place of the portraits Sirius had despised.

All the elf heads had been taken down, it looked as if the walls had been painted a dull silver, although it gave a sort of brilliance to the house, and the troll leg had been chucked out.

Harry smiled; he had a strange feeling that Sirius would have loved the Noble House of Black now.

"Both of you know where you're staying," McGonagall said, "Take your things; an Order meeting is about to start."

Both Harry and Ron nodded, heading up the stairs to the room they had stayed in last time.

"Dyou supposed Hermione will send Hedwig back?" Ron asked as they started unpacking their things.

"Yeah, I reckon so. Why dyou think McGonagall wants us to go to Godric's Hollow?" Harry asked him, setting Hedwig's empty cage atop the dresser.

"I dunno. Maybe the Order thinks one of the horcruxes is there," Ron suggested.

Harry thought for a moment, "Maybe."

There was an uncomfortable silence as they finished putting their things away.

Just as Harry had finished pushing his trunk under the bed, the door to the room flew open and a brown, bushy-haired someone burst into the room and fell into Ron's arms.

Harry awkwardly stood there as Hermione cried all over Ron.

"Oh Ronald, I was so worried about you! You shouldn't have gone into that house; you know better! But thank Merlin you're okay!" she exclaimed, examining him while tears slid down her face.

Harry raised an eye-brow at Ron who looked petrified, but merely shrugged.

As Hermione also hugged Harry she cried, "Oh it's so horrible about Lupin, isn't it? When you told me, Harry, I couldn't stop crying! I'm so sorry…"

Ron began to laugh and she looked at him, shocked.

"Ron, it is _not_ funny that Lupin…"

Harry also began to laugh, realizing Hermione didn't know Lupin was only in a body bind.

Hermione stepped away from Harry and looked from one to the other.

"Hermione," Harry said, "Lupin isn't dead," he explained to her in between Ron's fits of laughter, I only thought he was."

A relieved smile came over Hermione's expression and she giggled and said, "Oh," as her face turned red.

At that moment red-head Ginny ran through the door and threw herself into Harry.

"I've missed you," she said, her words muffled into his shoulder.

Harry smiled as he embraced her, "Ginny, it's barely even been a few hours since we left Hogwarts," he said.

His stomach plummeted as he remembered that Dumbledore's funeral was only just that morning. It seemed ages ago.

"Harry are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," he said, coming out of his daze, "I missed you too, Ginny…" he said as she smiled that beautiful smile of hers.

Mrs. Weasley came into the room, "I need the four of you to join Fred and George in the room down the hall," she said, ushering them out of the door, "We've broken the meeting up into two groups and they want to use your bedroom," she explained.

None of them complained as they filed into the next room and listened as Mrs. Weasley put several sealing charms on the door.

"No extendable ears this time!" her muffled voice yelled through the door.

Harry looked over and saw the two very disgruntled twins.

"Well," Ron said, his arm stiffly around Hermione's shoulders, "This place is really cleaned up!" he said, looking around.

"Yeah," Harry said, taking the opportunity to fill in what could've been a very uncomfortable silence, "I'm sure Sirius would have loved it," he finished as his gaze fell upon the second most despised object Sirius possessed.

"We got rid of most everything," George said, proudly looking around, "We got the sticking charm off of those blasted portraits," he continued.

Harry glowered at the Black Family Tree that hung on the wall, "So why couldn't you get _that_ down?" he asked as everyone else looked at the tree.

Fred frowned, "Dunno, that one stumped us that did," he said, "The spell that worked on the portraits won't work on that bloody piece of dung and we can't find anymore spells that might work on it."

"Oh," Harry said. He knew that if nothing else had been thrown out, Sirius would've wanted that one gone.

"Hermione dyou…?" he began.

"No, but I can look," she quietly said, seeming as if she knew what Harry was thinking.

"How's the joke shop going?" he asked, turning his attention to the twins.

"Better than planned," Fred said, "Every time something devastating happens the sales go up," he said, earning a glare from Hermione.

"No that we _want_ more horrid things to happen," George cut in, "It's just convenient, that's all."

"And how is that _so_ convenient?" Hermione's harsh voice asked.

"Well, when something bad happens, our sales go up, right?" Fred asked, "So it makes us happy and takes our mind off of the most recent devastation."

Harry could tell from the expression on Hermione's face that she didn't accept that answer.

He cleared his throat as the silence, in which Harry had been trying to prevent, took over the room.

Harry's attention was again drawn to the Black Family Tree. He hated it; that was for sure, but there was something interesting, yet ominous about it that he couldn't quite figure out. It was as if it had some sort of mysterious hidden history that was waiting to be found out.

"Maybe he's just tired," he heard Hermione's voice whisper.

"No, Herm, he's been acting up all day," he heard Ron's voice whisper back.

"He just needs a bit of a lie-down," George said, no as quietly as the others.

Harry continued to pretend to stare out in space just to see what would be said of him.

"Maybe You-Know-Who is trying to control him," Fred very quietly whispered.

"No," Hermione said at once, "There aren't any other signs of that."

"Harry," Ginny whispered in his ear from behind. He leaned toward her a little, "You can lie down on the couch if you're tired.

He shook his head, "I'm just trying to think, that's all."

"What about, mate?" Ron asked.

Harry looked at him, "If a horcruxe _is_ in Godric's Hollow, what do you suppose it is?" he asked Ron and Hermione.

"What is this about horecluckers?" Fred asked.

No one answered him.

"I don't know, Harry. It could be anything," Hermione said.

"Why, do you have an idea?" Ron asked.

Harry had been thinking about it ever since Dumbledore said there were more of them out there.

He hesitated, "I've had a few ideas," he said and left it at that. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell them or not. The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it became.

When neither one of them said anything, he continued, "I thought…maybe…that, well…maybe my scar might be one."

Silence.

"I mean," he pressed on, "It's just a thought, I never set it in stone."

Hermione slowly shook her head, "I don't think so, Harry," she said, "Because your scar is on a body that will eventually die and decompose and that would destroy it, getting rid of one of his souls."

"Okay, but think of it this way," he argued, "When Voldemort tried to curse me, he gave me this scar because he transferred a little of himself into me," he said, quoting Dumbledore from years previous.

Hermione was silent for a moment, "So dyou…dyou think he did it on…on _accident_, Harry?" she asked.

"I think it's possible," Harry said, "But I'm not sure whether it's true or not.

Ron looked astounded, "Harry if it _is_ true, then you'll have to destroy yourself!" he exclaimed, causing the three other Weasleys to look over at them. Ginny had joined Fred and George in a heated discussion over by the window.

"That's only if it's true, Ron, but it's not, is it, Harry," Hermione said, making it a statement rather than a question.

Harry shrugged, "I don't know if it is or not, Hermione."

Hermione now looked as if she were going to cry.

The door to the room opened and Mrs. Weasley said, "Supper's ready!", then left the group to go and tell the other Order members.

"C'mon," Hermione irritably said after a few moments silence, pulling Ron through the door by his wrist.

Harry stifled a laugh as he followed Ginny out and the other two behind him.

Once down in the kitchen, which was filled with grim-looking Order members, Harry sat between Ron and Ginny and peered around at everyone else.

"Hermione," he said, leaning over Ron, "Are they your parents?" he asked, nodding to two normal, muggle-looking people.

Hermione nodded.

"How are you, Bill?" Harry asked Bill as he sat in front of Harry.

Fleur rested his cane against the table next to him.

"Better," he said, wincing, "But the tail is a bloody menace.

"You have a tail?" Harry asked him.

He nodded, "And I get these urges all the time for huge, nice juicy steaks. It's actually quite appalling," he finished.

Harry wasn't sure of what to say.

"e iz not appalling," Fleur lovingly said to him.

Harry quickly looked away as they kissed, only to find Ginny giving Fleur a death-look.

He looked down to his plate, trying not to laugh.

Later that night, after Ron and Harry had gotten ready for bed, McGonagall and Hermione joined them in their room.

"All three of you listen closely, especially you, miss Granger. The three of you along with Remus, Tonks, and Mad-eye will apparate to Godric's Hollow tomorrow morning. I realize you've just gotten everything unpacked and settled, but I advise that you pack up tonight so you'll be ready in the morning."

"What about Ginny?" Harry asked.

He thought he saw a smile flicker across McGonagall's face, "She will remain here for the time being and join you later."

The three of them nodded.

"If you're straight on that, then good night. Miss Granger, after you," she said, opening the door.

After they had left and shut the door behind themselves, Ron turned to Harry, "Fred and George have been to a few of the Order meetings, maybe they know what's going on!" he said.

"I don't doubt the Order thinks that a horcruxe is in Godric's Hollow…but what could it be?" he asked.

Ron's eyes suddenly grew wide, "Harry! Get your pensieve out, I bet there's a clue in Figg's memory!"

Harry flew off of his bed and grabbed his trunk, opened it, and grabbed his pensieve and Mrs. Figg's memory.

He quickly poured the silvery substance into he pensieve and watched it for a moment as it swirled.

"C'mon, Ron," Harry said, diving head-first into it.

Suddenly Harry was standing in the middle of a dark street next to a sign that said, "Spinner's End."

"Dodgy sort of place, isn't it?" a voice behind Harry said, making him jump in surprise.

He turned around to find Ron looking around.

"Why would Mrs. Figg have a memory in a place like this?" he asked.

Ron shrugged.

There was something odd…_too_ odd about this…

"Wait, this is Mrs. Figg's memory, right?" Harry asked Ron.

"Yeah," he said.

"So…where _is_ Mrs. Figg?"

Ron shrugged again.

There was suddenly a loud **_CRACK!_** right beside Harry and standing not even an inch away was someone in a dark cloak with his or her hood up.

The person looked around for a moment as if trying to figure out where he had apparated to, then quickly set off, walking right through Harry and Ron.

Not two seconds later another person apparated right where the first had and also walked through Harry and Ron saying, "Wait!"

Suddenly a stream of light issued from the second person's wand and struck some kind of animal, which yelped, and then lay still and silent.

"Harry, can they see us?" Ron whispered as the second person examined what she had killed.

Harry shook his head.

"Just a fox," she said, "I thought perhaps an Auror— Cissy wait!" she exclaimed to the first person who seemed to be wanting to get away fro her.

"Can they _hear_ us?" Ron asked as they floated along behind the two figures.

Harry shook his head again as the lady said, "Cissy—Narcissa—listen to me—," she said as she caught Narcissa's arm.

Narcissa roughly pulled away and said, "Go back, Bella!"

"You must listen to me!" the woman named Bella pleaded.

"I've listened already. I've made my decision. Leave me alone!" Narcissa snarled.

"What in the bloody hell?" Ron muttered.

Bella caught up with Narcissa and they both stood looking at the houses which lined the road.

"He lives here? _Here_? in this Muggle dunghill? We must be the first of our kind ever to set foot—,"

But Narcissa seemed to not be paying attention as she walked through a rusty gate and across the street, leaving Bella to talk to herself.

"Cissy, _wait_!"

Harry and Ron followed Bella and Narcissa through an ally and onto another street which was indistinguishable from any of the others.

Just as the four of them turned onto another street, Bella again caught Narcissa's arm and made her face her.

"Cissy, you must not do this, you can't trust him—,"

"The Dark Lord trusts him, doesn't he?" Narcissa said.

Harry's stomach dropped as he felt fear and curiosity as Ron gasped.

"The Dark Lord is…I believe…mistaken," Bella said in between puffs of breath.

"Harry, what are they talking about?" Ron's high-pitched, fearful voice asked.

Harry only shook his head and stared at the scene as Bella continued, "In any case, we were told not to speak of the plan to anyone. This is a betrayal of the Dark Lord's—,"

"Let go, Bella!" Narcissa suddenly shrieked, interrupting Bella.

Narcissa suddenly had her wand in the other's face while Bella only laughed.

"Cissy, your own sister?" Bella laughed, "You wouldn't—,"

"There is nothing I wouldn't do anymore!" Narcissa threateningly whispered, interrupting her sister once again.

Narcissa quickly brought her wand down as if trying to cut through the air, then a flash of light and Bella suddenly jumped away from Narcissa as if shocked.

"_Narcissa_!" Bella hissed as Narcissa ran from her.

Harry and Ron followed Bella as she ran after her sister, rubbing her hand.

Harry let out a quiet laugh as he noticed Bella stayed quite a distance away from Narcissa now.

As they floated on, Harry was sure that the journey would take hours at least until they came to the end of a street, of which Harry didn't see its name, and to the very last grim-looking house.

As Harry and Ron caught up with Narcissa, leaving Bella behind them, Narcissa wrapped on the door.

Harry and Ron waited, both thinking that no one was home even though the light in the downstairs room was on. But no sooner had the thought crossed Harry's mind than the door opened only a slight sliver and showed a greasy-haired, hook-nosed man.

"Bloody hell!" Ron said as Narcissa threw her hood back.

Harry gasped.

"Ron, that's Malfoy's mum!" he quietly exclaimed as if she could hear him.

"Narcissa!" Snape exclaimed, "What a pleasant surprise!"

Harry was shocked; he'd never heard or seen Snape that friendly before.

"Severus," she whispered as if she thought someone other than the three of them could hear, "May I speak to you? It's urgent."

"But of course," he said as he stood back and let them into his house.

"Snape," Bella said as if it were bitter on her tongue as she passed him.

"Bellatrix," he said, a smirk playing on his mouth as he closed the door behind her.

Harry and Ron stood there in shock.

"What would Snape want with Malfoy's mum?"

"Snape helped Malfoy when he tried to kill Dumbledore. Snape killed Dumbledore for him…"

"_That's_ what Malfoy was up to all school year!" Ron exclaimed.

"He was planning how to kill Dumbledore," Harry muttered, "Dyou think we can go in?" he asked.

Ron looked at him, appalled, "_You_ want to go into _Snape's_ house?"

"It's not like they can see us. Besides, we might hear something useful."

Harry moved toward the door but suddenly everything became fuzzy and distorted.

He moved back to Ron, "This must be the edge of the memory. Mrs. Figg must not have heard anything else or gone into his house," Harry said.

Ron also moved toward the door, a look of determination defined on his face, but he, too, quickly moved back.

"Odd," Ron said as everything around them dissolved and their room in Grimauld Place appeared around them.

Harry looked over at Ron.

"Bellatrix Lestrange is Malfoy's aunt," he said.

"Yeah, Sirius told you that last summer," Ron said.

Harry remembered having a conversation with Sirius about the Black Family Tree, but, as guilt settled over his mind and stomach, he couldn't remember Sirius telling him Lestrange was Malfoy's aunt.

"Let's go to bed," Ron said, "We have to get up early tomorrow."

Harry nodded in agreement as he put his pensieve and Figg's memory into his trunk and climbed into bed, ready to wander in the sea of dreams.


	5. Chapter 4 Part Two: The Hollow of Godric

Author's Note: Sorry this is so short, but here's the second part to the fourth chapter. I'll put up the next chapter right away. Please please review! It would be greatly appreciated! 

**Chapter Four, Part Two**

The next morning Harry was awoken suddenly by an unusually loud snore from Ron.

He quickly sat up and searched the ground for his glasses.

No sooner had he put them on then did Fred and George apparate into the room with a loud **_CRACK!_** causing Ron to flail wildly, tangled in his sheets, and fall off of his bed with a rather loud, hollow-sounding **thump!**

Harry couldn't help but laugh at the scene that had just passed his eyes.

"A bit of a klutz, are you Ron?" Fred asked.

"Mnot," Ron muttered, struggling with his sheets. They were tangled around his hands, head, and legs.

Harry let out another laugh.

"Not funny, Harry," he said, finally getting the sheets off of his head.

"_I_ didn't do anything, it was Fred and George!"

Ron gave them a sleepy scowl as he stood up and messily made his bed again.

"Well then, if we're all done scaring ickle Ronniekins, mum wants us down stairs and ready in two minutes…" George began.

"_Us?_" Harry asked, "I thought only…"

"She wants _you_ two and little-miss-perfect downstairs and ready in _five_ minutes," Fred interrupted him.

Harry and Ron rushed around getting dressed and getting everything together and they were both down-stairs with thirty seconds to spare.

Hermione, of course, was already sitting at the kitchen table, talking to Mrs. Weasley, and had already finished her breakfast.

"Good morning!" she brightly said to them, looking from Ron's messy hair to Harry's.

"Hurry up, you two!" Mrs. Weasley scolded them, shoving two luke-warm bowls of porridge into their hands, "Eat up, we have to leave soon!" she said, ushering them on either side of Hermione.

Harry couldn't help but notice that as soon as Ron sat down, Hermione leaned toward him a little and was surprised to find himself wishing he could be close to Ginny at the moment.

Two minutes later Tonks, Mad-eye, and Lupin, to Hermione's delight, joined them by the front door.

Harry grabbed his trunk and Lupin's arm tightly while Ron grabbed Mad-eye's and Hermione Tonks.

Before Harry could comprehend anything, they were standing six feet from an over-grown and cracked head stone which read, "Godric Gryffindor, A.D.900-A.D. 990. One of four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, great wizard, loving father, grandfather, and husband, founder of 'Godric's Hollow'."

As the six of them walked through the cemetery, Harry saw names he recognized and suddenly stopped, reading a headstone which read;

"James and Lilly Potter."

Under "James," it read, "1964-1986", under "Lilly" it read, "1966-1986" and under, "Potter," it read, "1984-1986".

As Harry read the rest of the head stone he felt hatred like never before boil up inside of him.

"Loving mother and wife, husband and father. Loyal members of the Order of the Phoenix; perfect couple."


	6. Chapter 5: The Manor of Potters

Author's Note: This one is short as well. I hope you enjoy it! 

**Chapter 5: The Manor of Potters**

"Harry," Hermione whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Harry was speechless. He wanted to find Voldemort right that second and cause him any and every sort of pain imaginable.

"Don't want to spend too much time here," Moody growled, "Could be Death Eaters around."

Harry nodded, "Where are we staying?" he asked.

No one answered him.

He turned to the group, "_Where are we staying_?" he repeated.

Lupin looked at him, "At your mum and dad's old place," he answered.

Harry's mouth hung open, "But…but I thought…"

"Their house was destroyed, yes, Harry, but it wasn't anything magic couldn't fix up," Lupin answered.

Harry could barely breath. He was going home. For the first time in his life he was _actually_ going home!

He wasn't sure of how to feel. He wanted to jump with joy and run into the house, examining every nook-and-cranny, but at the same time he wanted to collapse in tears and tell them it was a horrible idea, that he didn't want to disturb the place in which his parents once trod.

"Harry," Lupin said, laying his hand on his shoulder, "It's alright. Albus wanted you to visit your parents old home incase there was anything the Auror's had missed."

"Has it…has it been, you know…" Harry began.

"Kept up? Of course it has. I know this is huge emotional torment for you, Harry; it is for me as well. But your parents house is the safest place; there are many spells and enchantments…"

Harry angrily cut him off, "Yeah, why didn't you tell them that sixteen years ago when Voldemort pranced into their house and didn't exactly expect just a cup of tea?" he asked.

Lupin remained calm, cool and collected, "Times have changed, Harry," he continued, "We have more advanced spells and enchantments placed around your house today than we did on this very day sixteen years ago.

Harry didn't know what to say as they headed down the dirt path, out of the cemetery and into the warmth of the sunlight.

Everyone was silent as they walked down the road, kicking up dust as they went along, Moody carrying Harry and Ron's trunk while Lupin carried Hermione's.

"Harry," Lupin said, looking behind them at the others, "Albus said that once you were in your parents old house that you'd have vision of past history in the house and you would hear things that were going on."

Harry's heart sped up, "Does that mean I'll…you know…" he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Yes, Harry, and it is very important, no matter how much you want to lave the house, to stay put not only because the spells and enchantments will keep you safe, but also because your may hear or see something very important."

"But I don't want…"

"Not to worry, Harry, you may not even witness you parents deaths. I'm just warning you that if you should to stay put. And these visions will not happen all the time, only once in a while."

"Is that why we're here?" Harry asked.

"We think you might see or hear of a horcruxe unfound by the Order that may be somewhere close. So yes, Harry, that is why we are here."

A few minutes later they came up on what looked like an ordinary, two-story white house with a garden fence around the yard.

"This is where my parents lived?" Harry asked in a whisper.

"Welcome home, Harry," Lupin said, smiling at him.

Harry's heart lifted as the other four also said, "Welcome home."

"Thanks," he choked as he felt tears stinging his eyes. He quickly wiped them away before anyone could see as he led them through the gate and up the pathway to the door.

When he got there, he stood in front of it and stared at the doorknob as if it might open by its self.

"Harry?" Hermione questioned from somewhere behind him.

Harry sighed, "I just…just can't help but think that the last person through this door was…was Voldemort."

He waited, hoping someone would correct him, that someone might tell him it wasn't true; that loads of people had passed through the door since then…but no one did.

He inhaled and exhaled, closed his eyes and laid his hand on the knob.

_I can do it,_ he told himself, _I can do it._

He turned the door knob, opened he door, and opened his eyes.

His breath stopped for the second time in two days.

"Welcome home," Lupin repeated, more quietly.

It may have looked like a house on the outside but…

Ron, beside him, gasped as Hermione exclaimed, "Merlin's beard!"


	7. Chapter 6: Visions and Memories

Author's Note: oooh reviews reviews! Thank you so much! Here's the next chapter. 

**Chapter 6: Visions and Memories**

"Harry," Ron whispered, "Why is it you never told us your parents lived in a mansion?"

Harry was speechless.

"Their house is...has...wow..." Ron remarked.

Harry stepped into the house and searched it with his eyes.

_My parents have stepped before on the very spot I'm standing_, he couldn't help but think.

As he looked at the spiral stair-case and the huge loft, he could imagine his mum walking down the stairs or both of them running through the house, teasing each other.

"Amazing," Harry muttered, stepping in further so the others could come in as well.

Harry was feeling mixed emotions about walking around the house much-less letting the others do so.

"Harry, your parents left the house to Sirius in their will, but apparently Sirius had no knowledge of this bit of information. Therefore, since you are a direct descendent of Lilly and James Potter, the house is passed on to you."

Harry goggled at him, "But Sirius left me Grimauld Place! That means I own two houses now!"

Lupin smiled at him, "Exactly."

"Well, if this is my house...all of you take off your shoes before you get on to the carpet," he said, grinning around at the group.

To his surprise each of the five of them obeyed him and he felt his face heat up.

"Let me show you to your room," Lupin told Harry, setting Hermione's trunk down and taking Harry's from Moody.

They headed up the stairs and through a long hall way, and finally to the end of another before they reached a room that had a gold plate on it that said, "Harry's Room."

Harry felt himself choke up again.

Lupin nodded to him and he slowly opened the door to reveal a fairly large room with a window, a cradle with a mobile hanging above it, a changing table, a rocking chair, and a plastic basket full of baby toys.

Harry couldn't breathe much less speak.

"You can sleep in the crib if you'd like, but I can conjure you a bed and a few accessories if that's your preference."

"I...I don't know."

"Don't know?"

"I don't want to disturb anything."

"I know, Harry, but we can put everything exactly as we found it when we go to leave."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, tearing his eyes away from the crib to look at Lupin.

"Positive."

"Alright, let me just look around before anybody changes anything."

Lupin nodded, "I'll be sure to tell the others," he said, setting Harry's trunk down and leaving Harry to be alone.

He wasn't sure of where to begin. The house was so enormous and there were so many rooms that he felt overwhelmed.

After what seemed like hours of pondering on how to go about looking around his parents house, he finally decided that he would start at one end of the mansion and make his way to the other.

He walked quickly to the room that was down and across the hall from his.

When he opened the door his breath was, yet again, taken away.

"Hermione would love this," he muttered.

Harry stood gazing at a gigantic, cathedral-ceiling library where the shelves of books reached up to over fifty feet tall and there were rolling ladders so people could get up to the top shelf.

As Harry cautiously stepped in, paying more attention to the ceiling, which was made purely out of glass, than where he was going, he bumped into a fancy-legged wooden table. The intricate trim around the edge was what caught Harry's attention first. Then, as if burned with a match or the tip of a wand, right in the center of the table was written, "James loves Lilly," enclosed in a heart.

"Wow," Harry whispered.

Five chairs, two on each side of the table and one on the end, surrounded it and had the same intricate trim on it as the table did.

Harry touched the table and all of the sudden everything got blurry and Harry felt nauseous. Just as suddenly it all went away, but four young people were sitting at the table he was touching; apparently oblivious to his presence.

On one side of the table was a beautiful red-haired girl, no older than twenty-one, holding what appeared to be a newborn. Next to her was an empty seat.

On the other side was a young-looking and very calm Remus Lupin, but he looked as if he'd just been beaten. Harry knew better; there had been a full-moon recently.

As Harry looked at the chair next to Lupin, who had just folded his hands on the table and was now looking at them, he advanced on the ratty-looking buck-toothed Peter Pettigrew and attempted to strangle him, but it was just like trying to catch smoke with his bare hands.

Harry noticed that Pettigrew seemed nervous as he kept tapping his fingers, loosening his collar, and his eyes kept darting around the room.

"Almost done there, James?" came a voice from the end chair.

Harry looked over to see a very handsome Sirius Black. He was thin, but a healthy thin unlike he was when he died. His black hair hung around his face, but not to the extent that it was annoying. Harry couldn't help but notice that his arms were coolly crossed across his chest and he was tipping back in his chair.

Harry looked over where Sirius was looking and was pleased to see an older image of himself.

"Yes yes," James Potter said, turning away from the door in which he had just placed several sealing charms, "I just want to make sure no one can hear."

James sat next to the red-haired woman Harry had just realized was his mother.

James hair was quite a mess, but had the distinction that it had just been attempted to be combed moments before. He also had glasses, just like Harry, but they weren't as round.

"Lilly darling, let me give you a break," he said, gently taking the baby from her.

Pettigrew spoke up, startling Harry, "Are you sure he won't…" he nervously started.

Lilly quietly interrupted him but was clearly offended, "Harry is still only a baby, Peter, he won't remember anything that's said."

"But are you sure…" he started again, his little black, rat-like eyes darting all over the library.

"Wormtail, you dolt!" Sirius said, falling forward in his chair, "He's only just a few months old! How in the bloody hell would he be able to understand much less remember it?"

"The Dark Lord has powers unknown t…" Pettigrew started more quietly.

"Oh cut it out with the whole, "Dark Lord," load of rubbish! He's got a name you know! _Vol–de–mort_!" Sirius said, pronouncing it for him.

Pettigrew fell sideways off of his seat.

"It's all in the mind," Lupin wisely said, "If you tell yourself you are afraid of something, then you will be."

"Well then, if we're through with that," James said, "let's get down to business. Has anyone heard anymore recent new on the horcruxes?" he asked as Pettigrew gave a very obvious twitch.

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Pathetic little lump," he muttered.

Lupin was shaking his head, "No, I'm afraid not."

Sirius now looked deep in thought, "I heard he's made a sixth one, but I don't know how, where or what."

"Who did you hear it from, Padfoot?" James asked.

Sirius hesitated, "I had a little run-in with Snivels the other day and he just happened to mention that Voldemort had gotten himself another one."

The room rung with silence as everybody, except Pettigrew, stared at him, their mouths half-open.

"He only said it as he was running away from me," he continued, looking guilty, "Pity, though, we didn't get to finish our duel."

"I'm sure he was just trying to…" Lupin began.

"No, I'm sure he was…" Sirius started, but Harry never heard the rest of his sentence as it turned into a mumble.

Everything turned blurry once more and he again found himself dizzy.

"Don't touch him," he heard Lupin whisper.

Harry opened his eyes to find himself in the exact spot he had just been in only moments before, but an older Lupin, Ron and Hermione were all looking at him from the doorway.

"Harry," Ron said, looking at the ceiling, "Your parents _had_ to have been rich…" he began as Lupin helped Harry into a chair and Hermione glared at Ron.

Harry felt just as he had in his third year after the Dementor attack.

"Tonks is going to the local store for some chocolate, Harry," Lupin told him, "Did you find out anything new?" he asked.

"Not anything you didn't already know," he muttered, feeling sweaty and sick to his stomach.

Lupin nodded, "I know. I didn't think there would be any visions I didn't know of at first. Which one was it, Harry?"

"I was there…only a few months old…and you, my dad, mum, Sirius and that blasted Pettigrew were there."

"Talking about the newly discovered knowledge of the sixth horcruxe?"

Harry nodded.

"I didn't believe Sirius for the longest time. Then a week or two later, the Order got word from somewhere that one of the Death Eaters had been brutally punished because he had let that knowledge slip."

"And it was…was Snape," Harry weakly said.

Lupin nodded, "It was Snape."

A bright-green haired Tonks suddenly burst into the room and looked quite flustered.

"Harry," she said, "I've got your chocolate, but an owl came for you too!"

Harry immediately opened the chocolate and took a bite of it even though it looked far from appetizing.

Tonks handed Harry Hedwig and she had a package for him in her beak.

"Let me see it then," he said to her as he took it from her.

He quickly opened it and took out a memory-filled bottle.

"Harry, read the note," Hermione eagerly said, handing him a piece of parchment.

As Harry read down the note and read it over and over several times, his heart-beat quickened.

"Well? Whose it from?" Ron asked.

Harry looked up at all the eager faces, feeling like he was going to retch up the chocolate he had just eaten.

He swallowed.

"It's from…" he began, looking at the sender of the note again as if there were some mistake.

There wasn't.

"S…" he couldn't finish his sentence because it was so unbelievable.


	8. Chapter 7: The Next Horcruxe

Author's Note: Thank you so much for your reviews everyone! I'm going to post all the chapters I have finished so far. Please, if you have time, review them. It would be much appreciated! 

**Chapter 7: The Next Horcruxe**

Harry thought he'd faint.

"Sirius," he finally answered to his audience which had waited patiently to hear.

"There must be some mistake," Lupin said, quite breathless.

"Harry," he began reading it aloud, "It took me a while to figure out how I could send you messages so if you get this please send back a reply quickly. Don't send Hedwig; I don't want her to go past the Point of No Return. I also want you to know that I've also included a mirror in the box along with the memory. It works similarly to the one I gave you which I know you've broken. But no hard feelings, it was useless after that day in the ministry anyway. Please send an owl back soon. All you have to do is tell the owl to find me and he will. I'm not sure what will happen to him if he passes the Point…that's why I don't want you to send Hedwig, she's much too valuable."

At the bottom was the familiar scrawl of Sirius signature.

Harry looked up at everyone, "Is this someone's idea of a sick joke?" he asked.

Everyone stared blankly back at him, shaking their heads, "Wow," he whispered, looking down at the note again.

Suddenly he lunged toward the box and searched for the mirror, knowing that his desperate attempts to talk to Sirius would be successful this time.

He pulled out a small round mirror that had an unusually long handle on it. It was silver, old and a lot heavier than Harry had expected.

He turned it over and saw his own pale reflection. He could barely breathe he was so excited.

"Sirius," he boldly said, his stomach sinking as nothing happened.

Then, just as Harry was about to put it down he saw the slightest of movements.

"Harry?" asked a tired voice.

Harry held the mirror so close to his face that it started fogging up.

"Sirius?" he breathed.

"I was beginning to wonder when my letter would get to you," he said, yawning.

Lupin walked over and looked over Harry's shoulder.

Sirius looked even more pale and gaunt than when he had died and his hair was limp and untidy.

"Where are you?" Harry asked.

He saw Sirius look around for a moment, "Uh, well, I…don't exactly," he said as he looked at Harry, "Not exactly sure," he finished with a mixed expression of concern and confusion.

"It's so good to see you, Sirius," Lupin said, a bit breathless.

"Moony!" Sirius heartily said, "It's good to see you too!" he said with a wide smile and his infamous bark-like laugh. Harry thought his heart would burst with joy.

"I missed you," Harry said, "We all did."

"How is everyone?" he asked, "Is Dumbledore with you?" he asked.

Harry shifted uneasily, looking up at Hermione as Lupin slowly walked away, "Uh," he said, looking back down at Sirius, "he…he passed away a few days ago."

Sirius looked shocked, "No!" he said, "What happened?"

"Well, Malfoy let some Death Eaters into the school…" Harry began.

"Lucius did?"

"No, Draco. Anyway, Dumbledore and I were headed back from getting a horcruxe and the Dark Mark was above the school…" and he launched, for the very first time, into a fully detailed description of what had happened, excluding the adventure of the defective Horcruxe. Everyone was listening with rapt attention.

"I always knew Snape never put his full effort into helping Dumbledore but to think, he had been waiting years just to kill him."

"And the horcruxe ended up being faulty any…" Harry began.

It was Lupin who interrupted this time and yelped, "What?" as he turned toward Harry again.

"The locket that Dumbledore and I thought was a horcruxe…it's faulty. Somebody else took it, they left a note inside of it."

"Where is it?" Lupin asked, looking very frightened.

"Here," Harry said, taking it out of his pocket and handing it to Lupin, "I'd like it back when you're done with it," he said though he doubted Lupin heard him.

"Faulty? Which one was it, Harry?" Sirius asked.

Harry was about to answer when he was interrupted for a third time.

"Harry don't tell him," Hermione suddenly said.

He looked up at her, "Why not?"

She rolled her eyes as if it were obvious, "You don't know if you're talking to a Death Eater or not. Lestrange could have easily pulled some hair off of Sirius when she was fighting him and they could have been planning this for ages. Common sense, Harry," she said, "Think about it. He doesn't know where he is, how did he get a mirror like that much less got another one to you?" she asked.

She was making too much sense and he didn't want to listen to it but he figured it was best to.

"Ok, but what does it matter if he knows which horcruxe it was? If it's already been taken and I don't know by who then it won't help Voldemort any…" Harry argued.

"No, she's right Harry, you'd better not tell me just incase," Sirius said, though he was smirking, telling Harry she was completely wrong.

"Thank you," she said.

"Yeah," Lupin absent mindedly agreed, fully engrossed in the locket.

"Well my Dark detectors aren't picking anything up," Moody growled.

"Really?" Harry asked, his heart lifting drastically.

"That doesn't mean you can go and spill all information to him Harry," Hermione continued.

"Alright alright alright," he said, irritated, "But Hermione, if Death Eaters were taking Poly Juice Potion wouldn't he look the same as he did when he died? He looks different."

Hermione shrugged, finally stumped.

Harry went on, "And obviously they can't keep doing this if they really are because Sirius fell through that veil thing so they can't keep getting hair from him."

"Harry just listen to her," Ron spoke up.

Harry goggled at him.

He shrugged, "It'll get her to shut up."

Hermione glared at him, "That was real nice Ronald," she said in a hurt tone.

Sirius was smirking, "So has anything big happened? Aside from the obvious," he asked, rolling his eyes toward Ron and Hermione so only Harry could see.

"Not really. Malfoy's dad is in Azkaban and Malfoy and Snape went and joined Voldemort," he said as Ron winced, though it might've been because Hermione had just hit his arm, "Ron and Hermione…" he quietly said, turning away from them, "Are kind of…you know…an item and Ginny and I were going but I broke up with her."

Sirius raised his eyebrows, "Why'd you do that? Honestly I thought it was a bit obvious even two years ago that you guys were going to get together."

Harry looked away, "I don't want Voldemort to get to her. You know, he's killed you and Dumbledore, then Cedric, but he didn't really do it, it was Wormtail."

A flash of fury crossed Sirius face, "I wish you would've let Moony and I kill him."

"Me too," Harry suddenly realized.

"You should get back together with her, Harry," Sirius advised.

"Why?" Harry asked, "Voldemort has killed most of the people I have been close to thus far, what's to stop him from taking Ginny too?" he asked.

"I see. Noble though you are Harry, haven't you given Ron and Hermione any thought? They have to be the two people you're the closest to. Why haven't you severed ties with them?" Sirius pointed out.

"I tried. They already said they wouldn't let me do this on my own and no matter how rude or mean I am…" Harry began.

"No no no, Harry!" Sirius said as Hermione and Ron's argument reached a new level of volume, "You're going about it all wrong!"

"Oh? Well then how do _you_ purpose I go about it?"

"Don't be rude, just tell them you don't think it's a good idea that you three are friends. Just tell them you need some time alone."

Harry looked past the mirror to his two best friends who were facing each other, both breathing rather hard and red in the face. Lupin was trying to reason with them while Tonks and Mad-eye were deep in conversation.

He looked back to Sirius.

"Alright," he said.

"I don't think this is such a good idea, though, Harry…" Sirius began.

"_WHAT?_" Harry stormed, causing everyone to look around at him, "You just got finished telling me how to go about it and now you're…" he began to argue.

"Ah, but I never said I thought it was a good idea. In fact, I think it's a horrible idea. Worst idea you've ever had including trying to rescue me from the Department of Mysteries."

"But…"

"It's in the past, Harry, don't try to argue with me about it."

Harry looked away from him.

"Well, my time's about up. Harry, if you need me, no matter what the situation, feel free to contact me, alright? It doesn't matter what time it is."

Harry nodded, "Alright. I guess…talk to you later, then?" he asked.

Sirius nodded, "Definantly. Keep me up to date on everything that is happening, alright?" he added in a whisper so that only Harry could hear.

Harry nodded.

With that Sirius was gone.

"Harry, Tonks and Mad-eye are going to stay in the front room so they can keep an eye…er…literally…on the front door. I think we should all stay in the same area as far as rooms go…" he started.

Ron suddenly turned toward him, "Are you kidding? I wouldn't stay on the same _side_ of the house as _her_," he said, pointing a finger into Hermione's face.

She looked from his finger to his face, her whole body ridged and her mouth gaping open. She looked for a moment as if she were going to burst out in tears, but suddenly she shut her mouth, looked from Ron to Harry and back to Ron, everyone watching as if it were a movie, then, to everyone's surprise, she slapped him hard in the face.

"You'll be lucky to even be in the same country as me if this continues," she said, glaring at him.

Ron looked affronted but content all the same, "Well…fine then!" he said, "Go on! Go to Africa, or Scotland! Go! I'd love to see the backside of you…"

Harry let out an involuntary snort, which caused Hermione and Ron to stare at him again. He quickly turned it into a violent cough.

Ron turned a very dark shade of scarlet very quickly, "Harry, don't you start too!"

"What?" Harry innocently asked.

"You!" Hermione growled, pointed into Ron's face. He went cross-eyed trying to focus on it and backed up two steps, "You are so tactless and subtle and…and…and a thoughtless, insensitive, inconsiderate, clumsy git!" she yelled at him, so much fury burning in her eyes it was starting to scare Harry.

That night was very awkward and uncomfortable for those whose names were not Ron or Hermione

Though Harry was almost used to this by now and barely had an excuse to be this uncomfortable with them rowing like this, he had other reasons to be uneasy that night.

It was at twelve past one in the morning that the pain in his scar had started. Though the aching was sharp, it didn't wake him. Instead he was floating down several steps as if he were a ghost…

_Harry floated down step after step, looking everywhere but the center of the room. Though there wasn't anything interesting about the room, he was still fascinated by it. So many steps and benches, all leading to one little dais in the middle of the room. This dais held something Harry was familiar with, something so mesmerizing that once his eyes fell upon it, he couldn't look away from it until he was upon this enthralling object. It was a crumbling stone arch that had a fluttering drape hanging from it. It was as if Harry were seeing it for the first time although he knew he had already seen somebody fall through it almost two years ago. It looked as if it were so frail it would disintegrate if it made contact with his breath. Harry reached out to touch it. Just from the air from his hand moving the arch way gave way and fell, the drape gracefully descending to the ground. Not a moment later hundreds of ghost-like subjects erupted from where the drape had stood. They surrounded Harry, all of them chanting something incoherent until they joined hands, "The Point has been demolished…you shall die…" Through the haze of souls Harry could see Sirius's blank, chanting face and white, vacant eyes staring right into his own as if he were some stranger being condemned for committing a murder, "The point has been demolished…you shall die..."_

"NO!" Harry yelled, sitting up. He recoiled from the pain in his scar and buried his forehead into his pillow. He stuffed a corner of his pillow into his mouth to keep himself from yelling out in pain. He sat up again, earning an amazing head rush, and ironed his hands over his scar, "Stop stop STOP!" he yelled through his clenched teeth.

"Harry!" someone shrieked, "Harry stop! You're going to scratch yourself!"

"What's going on?" asked a frantic voice, "Is he alright?"

"Harry open your eyes," the first person said as someone laid his or her hand on his shoulder, "Open your eyes Harry."

Harry began to breathe quickly. He had always experienced pain in his scar, even worse than this, but it had never lasted this long.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" he yelled.

He felt something tickle around his naval, giving him the impression he was being port-keyed somewhere, but then he felt something painful hit his right shoulder.

"Harry settle down," said a third voice, "You'll be alright, just settle down. Someone go get a cool wash cloth!"

The pain was not getting worse, but there was pressure building behind his scar as if something were going to burst out from behind it.

It seemed like seconds later something cold was being pressed against his forehead.

The stinging pain immediately ceased and the pressure quickly ebbed away.

He opened his eyes and found himself on the floor beside his bed with Hermione, Lupin and Tonks standing around him.

"Harry…are you alright?" Hermione asked with a reproachful, yet concerned, expression.

He nodded, wiping the sweat off of his face with the washcloth.

"Did you dream?" she asked as Lupin helped him sit up.

He nodded.

"Harry, that's not good…" she began.

"I know it's not good, Hermione," he impatiently interrupted, "I think I was dreaming with Voldemort again."

"Dumbledore said he would close his mind to you so it wouldn't happen again. He said Voldemort recognized how dangerous it was for himself," Tonks said, "I don't think he would risk to let you into his mind again…"

"Even the most powerful of wizards can make mistakes, Nymphidora," Lupin calmly stated, "What did you dream, Harry?"

Harry quickly recalled the dream to the three of them before he could forget it again.

Lupin suddenly looked pale.

"Professor…" Hermione began.

"Please, Hermione, I don't teach anymore, call me Remus," he said in an exhausted voice.

"R…Remus," she stuttered, "What do you think?"

His brow furrowed, then he looked at Hermione with a frightened face and whispered, "I think we've found another horcruxe."


	9. Chapter 8: The Point of No Return

Author's Note: Here is the next chapter… 

**Chapter 8: The Point of No Return**

"What?" Harry asked, temporarily forgetting there was a washcloth on his forehead as he sat up, "No, it' can't be," he said, laying back down again and pressing the cloth harder against his scar; it's soothing coolness causing him to yearn to drift off.

"Harry, I am almost sure that this arch is one of Voldemort's horcruxes. Positive it is. That night at the ministry I saw several stray spells that should have blasted it to pieces simply bounce off of it."

"Alright," Harry began, he words slurred due to the fact that he had began to drift off, "Say it _was_ a horcruxe: how're we supposed to get to it to destroy it?" he asked.

"I don't know Harry but if Lupin's right we will have to find a way," Hermione softly said, laying another cold washrag on his neck after he had gotten back onto his bed. He felt the bed bend where she sat next to him.

"I don't expect Scrimegeour will be too happy if he finds out that especially I have tried to break into the department of mysteries," Harry commented.

"You aren't too sociable with him then, are you," Tonks said, making it more of a statement rather than a question.

"No, not to friendly. I don't like him very much," he muttered as Hermione turned the washcloth on his forehead over so the cooler side was against his now-throbbing scar.

"Will you be alright now, Harry?" Lupin asked.

Harry nodded, feeling as though he hadn't slept in days and as if he could fall asleep any second.

"Well I'm off to bed, then," Tonks said with a yawn so loud it shouldn't have been allowed, "Night Mione, wotcher Harry," she said as she headed out of his room.

"Good night Harry, Hermione," Lupin said, trudging through the door after Tonks.

"Night," Harry said, watching him leave. After Lupin was out of sight he looked up at Hermione who was still leaning over him looking quite concerned.

"Harry I'm worried about you," she said.

"Come on 1Mione, I'll be alright. You'd better go get some sleep…"

"I'm going to sleep in your room," she suddenly said, jumping off of his bed and moving things on the floor around so there would be room for her next to his bed.

"I don't think…" Harry began.

"Oh don't be silly," she said, slightly out of breath, as she stood up again, "I just want to be sure you're going to sleep alright for the rest of the night."

"You shouldn't…"

"Let me just nip into my room and grab some blankets and a pillow," she said and was out of his door quicker than a firebolt.

Harry stared at the ceiling as he heard her walking back down the hall. He turned his head and watched as she laid her blankets on the floor. She was wearing dark blue, fuzzy fleece pajama pants and a dark blue camisole. Her hair was down and looked lanky; almost straight.

"Why are you staying in here again?" he asked as she pulled up her blankets and got underneath them.

She looked up at him as she covered herself, "Oh, because I just think someone should stay with you."

He raised one eyebrow as he began to count the bumps on his ceiling, "Keep in mind that's where I fell off of my bed onto."

There was a pause, "I realize that," she said, "But it's alright. I don't think you'll have another dream tonight."

"You sound sure of yourself."

"I am."

"Why?"

"Because, if Voldemort is so intent on keeping himself out of your mind and he accidentally slipped while he was falling asleep then he would realize how close he'd come to going into your mind he would probably be petrified of falling asleep for the rest of the night," she said all in one breath.

Harry mused on the thought of Voldemort sleeping. In the number of times he had shared dreams with him, he had never actually thought Voldemort could sleep; or _did _sleep in the least.

He laughed to himself as he rolled over onto his left side and instantly fell asleep.

It seemed like moments later when he was being shaken awake. He opened his eyes to complete darkness and, wondering how he would be able to tell if his eyes were open or not, he rubbed them.

"Oh thank goodness Harry," whispered Hermione as he felt the bed bend behind him, "You were saying things in your sleep; I…I thought you were dreaming again."

He rolled over to find her sitting on his bed.

"Hermione…what…?" he started to ask, sitting up and grabbing his glasses and wand from his bedside table, "Lumos," he muttered as his wand tip ignited.

"Harry," she whispered, her face pale and terrified, "You were saying things," she said, seeming as if she was not able to go on.

"Uh…" he started as he yawned, "Ok…like what?" he asked.

"Like…like…just horrid things Harry!" she whispered, leaning closer to him and quite obviously frightened.

"Alright, but I wasn't dreaming. I swear it," he said.

"You had to have been. You said…" she said, and she was gesturing feverishly with her hands as her mouth was furiously moving as though she were talking, but no noise was coming out.

Entirely confused, Harry tried to make eye-contact with her again.

"Hermione," he softly said, laying his hand on her shoulder.

Her mouth and hand stopped moving and she looked at him, finally collapsing into his chest, sobbing as if someone had just died.

_Someone other than Dumbledore_, Harry bitterly thought as he awkwardly embraced her.

"Are you alright Hermione?" he carefully asked.

"No," she sobbed, her voice partially muffled by his shirt.

"Er…what's wrong?" he asked.

She looked up at him, "Harry, I woke up and you were saying ghastly things about Dumbledore and Sirius and…and Ron and me. And especially Ginny. Oh it was horrible!" she exclaimed in a whisper, once again burying her head into his chest.

Harry thought hard and couldn't recall that he'd had another dream. Just before she'd woken him up he had had a sort of fuzzy, at-ease deep-sleep feeling.

"Harry," she said, pushing away from him, sniffling and wiping her own tears away, "Harry I have to tell you something," she said, finally taking both his hands in hers, knocking his wand onto his bed, but not completely making eye-contact with him.

"Ok…what?" he asked. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make eye-contact with her.

"That…that 'Point of no Return' Sirius was talking about…you know the one?"

"I know he was talking about it; I don't know where it is or what it is exactly…"

"And the arch way we were talking about earlier," she continued as if he hadn't said anything, her voice wavering.

"Yeah," he slowly said as she finally looked at him.

"They are the same thing."


	10. Chapter 9: Across the Frozen Lake Part 1

Author's Note: Here is the first part to the next chapter that isn't finished yet. So this'll probably be the last post for a week or two. Please review! 

**Chapter 9: Across the frozen lake**

It took a moment for Harry to realize what she'd said; "What?" he asked.

"The arch in the Department of Mysteries and this 'Point of No Return' is the same thing, Harry," she said, more urgently, "And we figured that the arch, which is the Point, is a horcruxe!"

"Ok…" he slowly began, "Why is that such a big deal that you have to wake me in the middle of the night?" he asked.

"Don't you see?" she asked.

"Erm…apparently not."

"Harry, even if we _do_ find a way to destroy that arch…there will be lost souls drifting everywhere. Thousands, I expect!" she whispered.

"Wait…" he said, sitting up, "Wait a moment, "If we break that thing, peoples _souls_ will come out of it?" he asked.

"Well, yes," she said.

"But, Hermione, this arch is in the Department of Mysteries, no one is supposed to know what it does except the Unspeakables," he told her.

"I know."

"So then…how in the blazes do you know so much about it? I mean, I know you're smart and everything, that stuff's top secret, Hermione," he said, agahst that she knew such information, "Are you sure you know what you're talk about?"

"Harry, I _know_ what I'm talking about. It all makes sense! When people fall through it, they're gone forever and…and Professor Lupin said that it was a horcruxe…"

"He said he _thought_ it was a horcruxe," started Harry.

"And you said something about it Ron, didn't you?" she asked as Harry saw the silhouette of her body move as if she were turning to talk to someone, "Yes that's what I thought…see Harry?" she asked.

"Um…Hermione?"

"I know I'm right, Harry, even Ron agrees with me," her body moved again, "Don't you?"

"I think…I think you're still asleep…" he said, amused. She had managed, in her sleep, to wake Harry up, inform him that _he_ had been talking in his sleep, and was now talking to someone who wasn't even in the room. He was torn between the choice to wake her up and tell her what she had been doing or to let her continue.

He laughed to himself and layed on his back, "Harry I know you must think I'm insane but it's true…"

"Hermione you're talking in you're sleep, of course I think you're insane."

"And as you already know, Ron agrees with me…" she went on as if he hadn't spoken.

Harry turned over so his back was facing her and he was looking out the window. It was a full moon that night and the milky-white light was illuminating the cemetery down the road. That same light crept through the window and across the hard-wood floor, up the side of Harry's bed and across his legs. Harry gazed at it for a moment, then closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 9: Across the Frozen Lake Part 2

Author's Note: Thank you Axerton, xdaedreemer, scheaf, hibryd, lovly elley, Werewolfgurl , Lakisha Adele Kane, crazyboutpirates'nharry and alicat18 for reviewing! Here is the second part to the chapter that is finally finished! So this'll probably be the last post for a week or two. 

"Rise and shine!" someone yelled as sunlight burst into the room and shone on Harry's face. He quickly closed his eyes to the blinding light.

"You shouldn't have been looking straight at the sun when you opened your eyes, silly!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Wotsgoinon?" Ron sleepily asked, entering Harry's room, yawning, hair askew and pajamas crooked.

"Is it…_snowing_ oustside?" Harry asked, hopping off of his bed and walking to the window, suddenly more awake. Sure enough huge, fluffy white flakes were drifting down the already snow-covered ground. He looked to the east and saw only blackness. Harry knew it must be a blizzard storm, but there was something else about it…something eerie…

"That's right," she brightly said.

"It's June!" Ron exclaimed, still looking tired, "How can it be snowing?"

"Ron," Hermione said, grinning, "think about it," she finished, rolling her eyes and opening the other set of curtains.

"Alright alright that's too much light I'm awake already!" Harry said, shielding the sunlight from his eyes with his hand.

"Lupin's going somewhere today. He didn't give me any details but I think he's going with Tonks to look for another horcruxe that might be around here somewhere," she said, shutting the curtains again.

"Why's it snowing?" Ron demanded, ignoring the fact that they had gone on to another subject already.

"He's going to find one?" Harry asked, temporarily forgetting about the uncanny storm.

"Yes, that's what he told me. He said we aren't to leave the house. Of course, Mad-eye will be here but there are other exits than the front door."

"There are?" Harry asked, not surprised that once again she knew more about him than he knew about himself.

"If she weren't your friend I'd think she were stalking you, mate," Ron muttered, glancing at Hermione who was now picking up her things from the floor.

"How do you know that?" Harry asked.

"Because I looked around last night," she simply answered.

Harry thought for a moment, "Hermione, you and I've been together since we arrived at Grimauld Place and we've never gone looking…"

"I went last night when you were asleep," she answered again, straightening Harry's bed.

"Oh. I wasn't asleep very often last night, though."

"No, but when you were was when I went," she said, leaving the room.

Ron looked at Harry, clearly confused, "What was her bed things doing in your room?" he asked.

Harry shrugged, "I don't know. I had a nightmare last night and I think she thought I'd be safer with her in the room."

"You didn't…er…you know…" he stuttered, a blush creeping up his face.

Harry laughed, "No, ofcourse not, Ron," he said.

He stepped closer to Harry as if there were other people in the room and whispered, "Did you have another go at the memory last night by yourself?" he asked.

Harry looked at him, "No, why? We saw all we could see, Ron."

"I don't think so, I think there's something there that Dumbledore meant for only you to see."

Harry looked to the ground, "How would you know something like that?" he asked, looking back up at Ron.

He shrugged and stood up straighter, "Just a feeling," he said.

"Are you two coming down to breakfast or are you going to starve?" Hermione asked as she walked past the room and down the stairs.

Harry and Ron quickly dressed and headed down the stairs.

"So, you and Hermione've made up, then?" Harry asked, hoping with all his heart they had.

"No way!" Ron said as they came around the corner into the kitchen, "We'll talk later," he finished in a mutter when he saw Hermione sitting at the table waiting for them.

"I've made breakfast for everyone," she brightly said as Tonks and Lupin came into the room and Moody sat in a chair, "enjoy," she said, serving it up.

"I hear you're going out there for a horecruxe," Harry said to Lupin whom he was sitting across from.

Lupin glanced at Hermione, who was chatting merrily with Tonks, then looked back at Harry, "Tonks and I are going out there, yes."

"Can I go with?" he eagerly asked, "Dumbledore let me go last time."

"And Dumbledore's dead, Harry. No, I want you to be safe here with your friends. If anything is to happen to Tonks or me, Alastor will still look over you three."

"I didn't kill Dumbledore," Harry said calmly, although anger had risen up in him.

"I never said you did…"

"You implied it. Snape killed Dumbledore," he said in the same voice.

Lupin let his spoon clatter to the bottom of his bowl and moved it forward away from him, "Harry, I never accused you of killing anyone," he said, laying his folded hands on the table, "We cannot afford to lose you. You are the one and only person Voldemort is after now, Harry and we cannot take any chances of him capturing or killing you."

Harry dropped his spoon into his half-finished porridge and said, "Breakfast was very good, Hermione, thank you," and left the room.

When Harry got to his bedroom he slammed the door as hard as he could and hit the wall, causing a fairly large dent. He turned away from the wall, seething. He couldn't believe that Lupin wouldn't let him go out on the horecruxe hunt.

Harry turned back around and his anger was momentarily forgotten. The dent in the wall in which he had just made with his own hand a few seconds ago, was gone. He hit the wall again, this time causing a larger dent, and watched it, before his very eyes, fix itself.

"A repair charm was set over the house when your parents bought it," a soft voice came from the doorway. Harry spun around to find Lupin, his hands in his pockets, watching Harry.

He grunted in reply and turned back around, not wanting to talk to Lupin at the moment.

"Tonks and I are going now," he said, "I thought you should know."

Harry didn't say anything, or aknowledge that he had heard for that matter, but only stayed facing away from him.

He turned around a few minutes later when he was sure Lupin had gone.

_What's wrong with me?_ He asked himself. He didn't know what had happened down in the kitchen. He had just…gotten angry for no reason. Of course…that happened a lot now days with his short temper.

Harry gazed through the window, watching the snow fall to the ground…or on the trees which were on the property. He noticed it had gotten darker; the unnatural clouds had moved in front of the sun so now it looked as if there were an eclips.

Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye and he looked down to find Lupin and Tonks heading into the abnormally thickly wooded forest. Yesterday there had been a ripling tarn where they stood.

Now they were walking across the frozen lake.


	12. Chapter 12: Hey All

Hey all, sorry that I haven't updated recently, I've been buisy trying to add stuff to all of my fics. I probably won't be able to get online during spring break (March 13-17), so I'm just letting you know that there probably won't be any updates during that time. Thank you all so much for reviewing, I really appreciate it. Enjoy your break!


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